1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method of forming a composite color image, and more particularly, to a method of forming a composite color image, in which image quality is improved by preventing transfer misalignment and deterioration in transfer properties, and carrier pieces are prevented from sticking into the surface portion of a photoreceptor.
2. Related Art
A method for visualizing image information through electrostatic latent images by electrophotography is presently employed in various fields. In electrophotography, an image is obtained by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor (i.e., a latent image-holding member) in charging and exposing steps; developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to obtain a toner image; transferring the toner image to the surface of a recording medium; and fixing the toner image on the recording medium. Developers used in the development are classified into two groups: two-component developers each including a carrier and a toner, and single-component developers including a toner only, such as a magnetic toner.
Since the functions of a developer are allocated to the carrier and the toner in the two-component developers, specifically, the functions of agitating, conveying, and charging are allocated to the carrier, the two-component developers have excellent controllability, and are widely used. Among them, developers that include carrier particles each having a resin coating have excellent controllability of charging, and dependence thereof on the environment and stability thereof over time can be relatively easily improved.
The two-component developers are advantageous in, particularly, reproducing color photo images, because highly precise control of charging can be performed.
In order to further improve image quality, various techniques for the two-component developers have been suggested.
Use of these techniques can improve image quality. However, as processing speed increases, image defects and cleaning failure that are thought to be caused by the carrier occur even in such techniques.